


Festino Lente

by Hittocere (JadeHittocere)



Series: What Should Not Have Been [2]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Carly isn't sure what to think, Mirage not DINO, More than meets the Eye Bitch, No One Likes the new nest director, Post Dark of the Moon, Promises for free pranks, Rather sleep on the Bench seat than the Couch, Two Places at once, Valeo is jealous of a Datson, Wheeljack not Q
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-25 05:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10757538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeHittocere/pseuds/Hittocere
Summary: Sequel to the Transformers fic, Tempus Vernum. After mastering the ability to be two places at once things become more complicated. The altering in the Dark of the Moon movie based on the events of Tempus Vernum.





	1. The New NEST Sucks

**Author's Note:**

> The classical oxymoron- ‘make haste slowly’ or ‘more haste, less speed’ Favorite saying of emperors Augustus and Titus, the Medicis and the Onslows.

It had been so long since Sam had been given a chance to look through Optimus Prime’s memories that he had forgotten that he could. He did not have time to look through everything that Optimus had lived through, but something drew him towards the data files on the war. Over the course of a week he had relieved so many fights on Cybertron it was hard to see how Optimus ever found hope. After the second night he had gone to Ironhide, to ask why the Decepticons thought that they would win. In time all he had seen was fighting, death, and painful loss on both sides.

There was no explanation for why, there was no logic, it had been a mutiny lead in the hopes of tyranny. The Fallen had worked his way into the Lord Protector’s mind, corrupting him with absolute power, alienating him from his brother, and his true purpose. Optimus had witnessed so much death, so much hate… and at one time he had been unable to do anything about it. Just like Sam had…

Optimus had been a civilian once, a respected citizen, but not a soldier. He had been in charge of stocking a warehouse on the docks, one that housed Energon it appeared. Decepticons had attacked, and among them… A mech that Orion Pax had known well, his spark had been heavy as he attempted to defend the warehouse. He and Ariel had been critically wounded, it took the talents of the talented Alpha Trion… From which Optimus Prime brave leader of the Autobots was made, as was the great femme who had served once at his side… Elita One.

So many things that Sam had tried to understand about Cybertron from the others, but some things he only managed to understand with the help of Optimus’ memories. He had only just begun to understand when Ironhide’s com came through.

~Yes Ironhide?~ Sam answered, he was currently resting across the bench seat of the Peterbilt. Carly had gone to work, and he had yet to decide whether or not he would let Valeo Prime go back to the Autobots.

~The mission was a success, but your presence has been requested at our new base in DC. Do you wish to return? Are you ready?~ the Weapons Specialist sounded like he was about to rust over. Sam fingered at the bench seat, it was his responsibly to choose for himself what he would do with Optimus’ protoform. He had gotten lucky several times they had asked. Bumblebee or Ratchet had been able to keep an eye on his organic form while he helped Lennox and his team as Valeo Prime. This luck however would run out at some point, he would need to test the separation of consciousness between the two bodies hosting his soul/spark.

~I will show up, depending on what I hear I may stay. I really need to do some more tests on it Ironhide. I don’t know a lot of things that I probably should by now…~ Sam explained, ~I do not know how far the range is between Valeo and myself, and I also do not know what will happen if I close off both ends with half.~

~Ratchet thinks the range is virtually limitless on this planet, but that it should be limited to this planet and its moon for your sanity. I assume you have not tested what would happen if illness were to befall you?~ Ironhide questioned. Sam hadn’t wanted to test any alternatives, when the protoform was injured it hurt him unless he closed off the transference of near everything. Ratchet suspected it went both ways, he doubted the Allspark resting in the back of his mind would allow any illness to affect him long, if at all.

~Valeo will be on his way soon, I must know before it becomes crucial. The Allspark is stirring, something is underfoot and Valeo should know. I will try maintaining both forms separately for a bit, if anything troubling occurs I shall have Valeo say something on the matter,~ Sam dodged his question, slipping out of the cab into the colder night air, ~Valeo out.~ Sam disabled the coms, the chatter might distract him. He had the protoform shift into its bi pedal mode, and slowly split his awareness in half between the two forms. Once half of his consciousness was in the bot he slowly brought up his guard, cutting the ties between the two until he was no longer seeing or hearing in loops. The bot looked at him then around in slight confusion.

“Your designation will be Valeo Prime, however you will answer to Optimus Prime at all times without question or hesitation,” Sam spoke aloud testing the separation. This was the first time he had ever tried this, and it was unnerving not to know what reactions half of his soul was having from inside the protoform.

“ _Acknowledged. You are Samuel James Witwicky, to be called Sam whenever I speak to you or ‘boy’. I am able to use Optimus Prime’s data as a catalyst to complete function. I can still feel thoughts and receive minor readings from your side, shall I close all connections?_ ” Valeo asked. Sam wondered what he had forgotten… “ _I can also hear your side of our thoughts, though it appears you cannot hear mine. Is this acceptable?_ ”

“Yes, it will allow you to assess the situations without bias. Rendezvous with Ironhide, if you believe yourself capable you may relieve him of his duty as Autobot commander. If not return once the mission and debriefings are over,” Sam instructed out loud, “if you reinstate us as Prime, you will remain there until our situation is more underhand.”

“ _Those secondary instructions are unnecessary, it was clear from your statement and our conjoined situations that the secret must be protected._ ,” Valeo answered curtly, “ _I would like to request that should you encounter any Decepticons that attempt to hurt you, you make your way to the base for safety purposes. We cannot allow the Allspark to fall into Decepticon hands, nor can we test what would happen should one of us offline. If the situation becomes too dangerous I will come for you myself regardless of secrecy.”_

“I understand that, I will lie low,” Sam was oddly fascinated. It was like having a conversation with a telepath more than a piece of himself. The personality that Valeo had taken on was so different than Sam’s that it took him a moment to realize that the Matrix had probably filled in the gaps in that side using Optimus’ data or something. While he wasn’t actually talking to himself, Valeo was clearly different than him. It would be difficult for people to bridge the gap who weren’t already in the circle.

“ _Is that all Sam?_ ” Valeo asked distracting him, or rather putting him back on the right train of thought.

“Almost. Have Ironhide inform Lennox of your altered status, I don’t want to be arrested for treason or something. This one is more of a request than an order,” Sam fidgeted visibly, “if you see Mikaela…”

“ _Consider the message told, I will make it an effort to seek her out at some point. I shall be on my way, please exercise caution. Oh, and might I leave Wheelie and his companion in your capable hands?_ ” Valeo asked shifting to the familiar Peterbilt alt. Sam nodded, he opened the garage door, “ _goodbye Sam.”_

“See ya round Optimus…” Sam waved as the Peterbilt drove off. He felt strangely alone now, and he was now without transportation. Which after having a ride constantly without thought was sort of irritating. He shut the garage door, walking towards the condo he was sharing with Carly. Now that his excuses were aside he would need to find a job, and quickly.

 

VALEO PRIME

Leaving Sam there had been difficult, despite the fact he had to go, he muted the connections he had with the other half of his Spark and made his way towards the NEST base. It wasn’t a long drive, but without any conscious human thoughts it seemed more like human hours then simple minutes. Bumblebee greeted him cheerfully, he knew the cheery yellow scout missed him and Sam. He, Mirage, and Sideswipe were making their way towards the Norfolk airport it appeared. Ironhide was waiting at the entrance for him, Valeo had sent the message to Ironhide about the situation as soon as Sam asked. It was odd, the bot realized, not having a fully human personality dictating his actions, even if it was just on the edge of his consciousness.

Ironhide must have given him an odd look based on the glyphs his HUD was registering from the Weapons Specialist, Valeo wondered only briefly why. Then he realized the coms were still disabled, the bot could not ask about the strange expressions crossing his faceplates. Only he wasn’t in bipedal mode, he was still in alt mode so it was more like he was ignoring the other. He decided to leave the coms that way for a few more minutes. His processor needed time to clear itself a little more, but there was no harm in speaking to the bot.

“Just thinking,” Valeo spoke softly, the old bot probably would have nodded at him if he were in bipedal mode, “we are completely separate at the moment. It is so odd, not feeling that presence there, do you understand my friend?” They spoke in soft Cybertronian, most humans wouldn’t know enough to pick up on the conversation.

“It’s a lot like ‘Sides and his pain in the aft twin I’d imagine. I see why you had me take Lennox aside though,” Ironhide spoke warmly towards him, “you don’t have to sit through the briefing tonight. Sort things out and let us know when you’re ready. I’ll have the new mission’s specs by then, and hopefully we can find out what’s making Sam so uneasy.” The old Mech drove down into base, leaving Valeo to his thoughts once again.

He already had determined on the way here that he was not entirely made up of Sam’s spark, the splitting of their collective consciousness had activated the Matrix judging from his thoughts. Who was he though? Was he still Sam, or was he a mixture of Sam and someone else? He wondered if he could consult Orion without his other half… There was nothing against trying was there? He centered on the Matrix, which he only now noticed was in his spark chamber, and focused on the Primes he knew lingered there. His patience was repaid in kind by Orion’s interesting stare focused at him in that infinite white. The Mech vented a sigh and greeted the former Autobot commander.

“Your presence here surprises me Valeo. I was not expecting you so soon, has something happened?” the kind mech asked, “you seem uneasy, perhaps the reason for your visit is not trouble on earth, but trouble of the spark?”

“You read me well Orion, I am truly lost at the moment,” Valeo confessed, “I feel as though I am no longer Sam. He split our consciousness in half, but I feel as though something is wrong, like not all of the spark in our chest is ours. Do you know what I mean?”

“I can guess, it may feel a lot like a spark bonding, but I doubt that is the feeling you are describing to me. Please,” the older Mech sat on the stone that made up the floor of infinite white of the Matrix, “elaborate.”

Valeo sat down, describing the sensations of being two people at once, then suddenly one. The emptiness of finally being alone, but then the strange feeling of something vaguely foreign in his thoughts that was not Sam or processor data. Something he felt only the Matrix could have done, but he was so unsure at the moment.

“You are still Sam deep within your processor, but you are Valeo first and foremost. Which means your spark had already divided itself before this into these two separate yet entirely unique beings, each crafted for the use they are intended to have. You are Sam, but the Matrix has been known to bring out the best qualities in a Prime more so than when he does not possess it. You are also more influenced by what I would have done in your place more heavily now than when you are whole,” Orion surmised, “being a Prime creates a coding within one’s deepest fibers that I think that makes us up into the Mech that our comrades look up to. However that coding is heavily influenced by our own personal beliefs Valeo. You, are the manifestation of that coding I think combined with a partial spark. I do not think it will influence your choices so much as steady you while you are in need of it.” The former Prime’s voice made Valeo’s concerns fade slightly, he had noticed the other Primes standing just behind them.

“Did you have something to add my brothers?” Valeo asked turning their direction to acknowledge them. One of them looked less than subtlety his direction, then back at the others.

“There is another Prime near, not here, but Earth. We have felt his spark signature for some time, but it concerns us that he has not appeared. He does not seem to be in stasis or recharge so we are unable to contact him,” this was the tallest of them, “it would be most considerate if you would check on the matter for us.”

“I shall endeavor to do so, it may take some time to do so, which is a given since circumstances on the earth are rather odd at the present,” Valeo answered truthfully, “I will do my best to see through to your wishes when I can. Was this your doing?”

“We are unsure to the cause as well, we would recommend consulting the Allspark with Samuel later. It may know, but we do not,” a different one answered. Valeo nodded, and held up his fingers in a motion unknown to all of them but Orion who shook his head with a smile.

“Live long and prosper Valeo,” the Mech quoted as Valeo refocused on his form on earth.


	2. Goddamn Copy Machines

As Valeo saw Sam enter he visibly cringed, he had not yet awakened Sentinel Prime. What could had happened to send his Organic holoform here so quickly? He seemed rather on edge, and as Valeo unmuted his emotions he also realized he was rather upset. Director Mearing was giving them an unnecessary dressing down by the looks of it, and Sam was beyond unpleased. Had he realized the sheer amount of effort it was taking for Valeo to simply stand there he might have calmed a little.

He wanted to pick up the annoying woman by her ponytail and drop her elsewhere, but this was the one person he really could not do that to. Despite all his authority it would do more harm than good. He vented a sigh wondering how long it would be before the organics got in a verbal catfight.

~Valeo to Ratchet, can you do anything about getting her out of his way?~ there was no need to voice who… Ratchet could probably feel Sam’s part of their Spark at the way this was going. Lennox was attempting to settle things, but he was being far too subtle, and in Valeo’s own thoughts, aft-kissing to the director.

~Ironhide to Valeo. Sir, can I show her the business end of my cannons now?~ the Mech grumbled. He had been less than pleased when she was assigned, as the Mech had so eloquently put it, to babysit them.

~No Ironhide, as much as I’d love to allow that Lennox would get in trouble, and then I would have to endure her screech toned whining… Have Lennox remove one of them before I separate them, he’s spilling over to the point I want to drop her off the side of the building…~ Valeo rubbed his temples. Ironhide would send the message, and sure enough he looked over at the Mechs watching through the glass nervously. He attempted, much more fiercely this time, to get the director to back away from the organic holoform.

Valeo sighed, some things are just not supposed to be allowed, and pissing him off is up there for a reason. He sent a text to Lennox’s phone telling him to move Carly back, and as soon as that was done he broke the window startling the other two humans as he plucked Sam out of the conversation.

“Don’t take this the wrong way boy, it’s still my call,” she shouted. She was practically oozing venom at the time, and Carly seemed bewildered by the motion.

“Took you long enough, how do you put up with her?” Sam asked making an expression that stated he wanted down. Valeo however was in no mood to deal with his childish behavior. He needed to know what occurred to send the boy here to him, and how to get it fixed.

“I don’t, Ironhide does,” Valeo explained in Cybertronian to his other half, the boy nodded with a small grin. He wasn’t about to answer in Cybertronian with all these people watching.

“I did what you asked, then I got reemed for it, care to explain to me why I am not listed on the clearance sheet?” Sam looked very annoyed. His organic companion Carly looked more or less confused. She had seen Sam speak that language before between them and possibly the two refugees at their condo, she obviously knew better than to say anything. It also revealed that she probably didn’t understand the significance of being able to speak Cybertronian fluently as a human.

“You were supposed to com me not Bumblebee if you got held up at the gates. My apologies, for I did not think it was necessary…” Valeo answered approaching Sentinel, “this is the Prime that came before Optimus… The Primes have been concerned about him for several vorns now, I believe however that there is something fishy about this whole thing. I have spoken to Orion and he is uneasy as well with my insight on the situation. What does the Allspark tell you Sam?” Even in Cybertronian there were still ears that could make out what they were saying, but the problem remained. He needed to speak to the boy about it.

“The Allspark has been bitching at me for days, it sent that pervert Brains the files connected around the scientists and NASA guys. I’m sure it started becoming irritable then,” Sam whispered, he spoke the next sentence a little louder, “it wasn’t happy with me when you returned to your post.” The silent ‘without me’ was clear on his face, they had known that both artifacts were likely to be upset with them, but that the Allspark would be the more irritated of the two.

“What did it say about Sentinel?” he questioned, Sam looked positively frustrated at the question though.

“How the fuck should I know? You took the language of the Prime’s text translator with you genius! I can’t read that slag it sends across my eyes,” he hissed moodily, “it barely lets me sleep in peace right now, so whatever it’s saying you should read.”

“Could you write it like you did the other time outside the museum?” Valeo questioned in English this time. Ironhide had wandered a little closer, checking his cannons ever so unsubtly to discourage anyone from standing to close. Ratchet had a wrench out before Valeo could flutter his optics.

“No, it’s not like when ‘I’ was looking for the Matrix. It’s not being that de-polarized on me, but fraggin’ near it. There’s only one way I could send it to you, and that’s not really an option right now,” Sam spoke in frustration.

“It cannot be avoided, I have to know before we repower his Spark…” Valeo rubbed his temples looking at Ratchet, “Ratchet, put Sentinel on an Energon drip. Ironhide, you’re in charge while I attempt to contact the Allspark via Matrix. Do not discharge your cannons for anything less than a Decepticon, are we clear?”

“As you say Prime,” Ironhide grumbled, ~What of the girl? She knows nothing of this manner, will you be taking her as well?~ Valeo looked at Sam, as much as they needed the space, Carly would have to come with. He looked around for the girl, the British beauty was waiting patiently with Lennox on a landing near Ironhide. Of course they would be near Ironhide, Lennox and the Mech were slag near bonded… He could sense Sam’s strange idea of how right that was even through the barriers in his processor.

“Carly!” Sam called, she smiled up at him, “it’s about time we went home. It’s been one of those days.” She nodded looking at Sam with a little bit of worry in her eyes. Judging from what he could feel Sam was hanging off his shoulder like a monkey, quite reckless of him. He reached a servo up to grab his human self only to find the little slagger had already moved.

“Samuel,” Valeo warned, “this is not a zoo, and you are not a monkey.” His attempt at human humor without the human behind it was sadly lacking. His point however was clear, and the human climbed onto the waiting servo.

“Spoil sport,” Sam muttered, only loud enough for the Mechs to hear it. The Mech it was directed at vented a soft sigh and placed him next to Carly. “We’ll meet you at my car.” Valeo would have raised an optic ridge, because only the Autobots would have realized how dangerous it was for Sam to have a vehicle. Seeing as the Allspark was charged, it could easily change anything the boy touched into a potential Cybertronian.

“I will join you shortly,” Valeo answered. He first needed to give a certain woman a dressing down. She wasn’t going to get away with making his organic holoform so pissy and childish. “Director Mearing, may I have a moment of your time?” The blond woman looked up from where she was speaking in time to see Carly and Sam exiting the NEST DC headquarters.

“Certainly, but let me first warn you. If that child creates anymore trouble I will have him thrown in jail, or better yet Quantico for being—” Valeo held up a servo to quiet her rant. His optics holding a look of disappointment rather than the moody anger he was channeling from Sam.

“You do not possess such an authority, he has and will retain his security clearance Director. All decisions pertaining to one Samuel James Witwicky will go through me,” Valeo stated calmly, “you should speak with General Morshower about the matter before you embarrass yourself further. This is not a contest of who wears a bigger jock strap Ma’am, this is about national security not favoritism. You would do well to remember that up until recently he was under vigilant guard by Autobots.” He watched her go sheet white, understanding not quite dawning upon her. She would become hostile if this was not handled cautiously.

“Is that so,” she questioned softly, “I was under the impression that it was my call on who has clearance and who doesn’t on these matters. Or am I mistaken on that Optimus Prime?” Still no sir, so it wasn’t quite hostile… There was still a lot of bite behind those words.

“Director, it is not my intention to irritate you, nor undermine you. I will take full responsibility for Witwicky’s actions, I have no intention on arguing with you over clearance for anyone else,” Valeo clarified, “Now if you will excuse me, it is quite clear to me that his protection detail must be returned. Ironhide has been left in charge here…”

“Is that wise? You aren’t the most… inconspicuous of the Autobots,” she spoke clearly this time. It was apparent that she was getting her second wind, Ratchet was looking at them with a bemused expression. Valeo nodded at him to speak.

“Ma’am, would he really be much worse that a SS model Camaro, a convertible Corvette Stingray, a Ferrari red Ferrari, a Topkick bordering on the size of a small tank, or a lazer green Search and Rescue vehicle?” the Medic questioned, “arguably, he was already staying with the boy before. He also stands the greatest chance of blending in given the circumstances. The rest of us are too flashy or just plain out of place.” Damn Valeo loved how blunt the Medic was at times, he was almost as embarrassed by it too.

“Does that answer any concerns you may have Director?” Valeo asked, amusement evident in his tone. She frowned, dismissing them and walking away towards her assistant. The Autobot CMO looked amused as well, Valeo shifted to his alt mode, ~try not to piss her off too badly Ratchet. I would like her to know why Sam ‘officially’ has clearance however.~ He made his way out towards the exit where Sam and Carly were waiting patiently.

~Considerate it done Prime,~ Ratchet answered, ~now go find out what is bothering the Allspark. That does not bode well for anyone… Ratchet out.~ Then Valeo watched as Bumblebee placed an old beat to hell Datsun on a flatbed trailer for him to tow behind him. Was that Sam’s supposed car? Dear Primus, he had nothing to worry about that poor jalopy being a Decepticon. He was slightly jealous of the run down piece of junk.

“Took you long enough, let’s go home,” Sam yawned walking towards the passenger door. Valeo opened it for the British beauty without Sam having to reach up, though Carly for her part looked reasonably uncertain, “he doesn’t bite. Sputters occasionally when you catch him off guard, but you know this. Up ya go.” Sam helped her up into the seat. He walked around to the driver’s side, sending a friendly wave in Lennox’s direction as the door shut. Once their seatbelts were fastened their little click was on their way home.

“So what occurred this afternoon Samuel?” Valeo asked through the speakers, being mindful to watch his wording with Carly in the vehicle. He was careful to speak in English when the girl had no choice but to be present during their discussion.

“He was attacked by an ordinary copy machine, or so that awful woman wants to us to say,” the blonde spoke coldly, “surely you know there is more to it than that?” Valeo understood her irritation, the Director had been rather annoying this afternoon.

“I gave her a bit of a dressing down before we left, but now is not the time for that conversation,” Valeo reported before repeating, “what happened?” Sam sighed leaning into back into the bench seat.

“Laserbeak happened. He’s the one killing off the NASA and Russian Cosmonauts… He’s a little vulture bot, one of Soundwave’s cronies right?” Sam questioned, there was an affirmative chirp, “well the little slagger decided I would make an excellent trophy for Megs or somethin’. I ended up running around dodging the little fragger’s shots and finally escaping through a memory bank in the basement.” Valeo was not pleased at this, Sam had managed to finally get a job and Laserbeak had appeared there. His safety was now in question there…

“You’ll have to quit you realize. We cannot risk you falling into Decepticon hands,” Valeo felt his breaks lock a little as they slid to a stop. He was beginning to miss not having to conform to traffic lights. “I will get you a pass as soon as possible, I cannot allow you to return to work there.” Carly decided at that moment to argue, and looking at all of it from her perspective he could understand her frustration. Which maybe Sam would once he noticed that Valeo had purposefully forgotten that slaggin’ Datsun.

“He just got that job and now you want him to quit?” she must have been steaming, “the vulture bot, Mech, whatever… killed that man, but that doesn’t mean he took in that Sam worked there!” Valeo let a sigh escape his vents. The light they had been stopped at turned green, he rolled forward trying to think of more than one suitable answer.

“Carly, Laserbeak is a scout, like Bumblebee was. Only it’s a lot easier for him to hack the database at work and discover where I’m working at in the company… where we live,” Sam explained looking over at her. She crossed her arms, very visibly upset, “and Megatron really wants my head for a trophy.”

“There is also the matter that he will do anything to get the Allspark,” Valeo mentioned, “I do have some good news, but it comes at a price. Soundwave is amongst the ground forces of the Decepticons now. As you can imagine the downside to not having that parasite on the satellite is we no longer know his location.” Sam frowned, that was indeed bad news. Valeo knew he understood the gravity of that statement.


	3. Sam in the Cab vs the couch

Carly had been pissed at both of them, not that Sam could blame her. Valeo at least had found a place for them to stay for the night. Bumblebee was coming to join them as well, Sam was briefly confused when Valeo started to drop the processor barriers that made them separate entities. Sam was assimilated back into his proper place easily, it would appear that the protoform missed his more human presence.

The Allspark was ecstatic, it started sending all sorts of glyphs across his HUD and chattered away at him. Sam had a feeling that it was both reaming him and filling him in on Sentinel Prime at the same time. He could almost understand what parts of it were saying thanks to Valeo’s attempt at learning the language of the Primes. It was very happy to see both pieces of Sam in one place, and he could almost swear that the Allspark was talking to the Matrix as well.

Some small part of his processor said that was exactly what it was doing. There was another part that speech of glyphs that held a certain sort of displeasure and gravity centered towards something other than Sam. It then issued a cheerful greeting towards something else. Sam was now very confused. Who was it greeting?

There was a gentle honk, and Sam recognized it to be Bumblebee. He practically jumped out of the cab, he missed his guardian something fierce. The cheery yellow bot bounced on his shocks, agreeing with the sentiments entirely. He hugged the scout and jumped up onto Peterbilt hood, his legs dangled over the edge.

“Valeo dropped the processor barriers, we are going to attempt to speak with the Primes again. Valeo told me what the Primes asked of us,” Sam spoke in quiet Cybertronian, “keep an optic out for Decepticon forces. We don’t need company while I am attempting this.” Bumblebee nodded, and Sam slipped off the hood. He climbed into the cab and sat in a meditative posture. That way maybe his ass wouldn’t be numb when he came back this time.

 

“You are late Samuel James Witwicky, Valeo has passed on our request it seems?” the eldest of the Primes. Sam nodded, he was alone in the Matrix, which he was unsure if that good or bad.

“Sam…” he turned to see Optimus waiting there, “you are surprised that Valeo is not here?” Sam nodded, “that is because you are Valeo. He acknowledges this, and feels incomplete without you there to guide his actions.”

“Your solution was clever, to split your consciousness between your dual forms. However it is not the only solution the Allspark has to offer you, but for now it is all,” a second Prime commented, “you came to ask us of Sentinel Prime. What is it you are curious on young one?” Optimus stood beside him, he was glad that the former Autobot leader had his back.

“Sentinel was the Prime just before me, he was something of a technological wizard of our time. He invented the pillar technology that enabled us to transport resources across time and space,” Optimus spoke, “the ship that Valeo visited was called the Ark. It was launched carrying that technology, I watched it leave myself. It was in the final days before Cybertron fell.” Sam frowned, the implications of what they were implying….

“So, what you are telling me is that Sentinel Prime invented a teleportation device? And that device is what Director Mearing just confiscated from the Autobots?” Sam cringed as all the Primes nodded. He needed to get that pillar under heavier protection immediately, but there was more… There was always more to these situations.

“Sentinel is the only one who can control these pillars, from the data Valeo has provided us with you are in possession of the control pillar,” the shortest of the Primes stated, “We see no issues with using the Matrix on Sentinel Prime. Keep your optics open for any Decepticon activity.” The Allspark was sending glyphs across his vision again, something wasn’t right about this…

“The Allspark is flashing all sorts of Glyphs, what is it saying?”  Sam asked the all knowing beings. Several of them looked confused, Optimus frowned and looked like he wanted to say something on the matter.

“The phrasing is odd, we are not entirely sure. It is choosing to be vague, but it’s mostly a warning. We can tell you however that there is a high amount of Decepticons in this planetary system at the moment,” the tallest of the Primes answered, “a number high enough that the Allspark felt the need to tell us. Be careful Valeo Prime, and follow your spark.” The other Primes faded away and Sam was brought back to his mental shells on earth. Bumblebee seemed to notice his return and drove up beside the Peterbilt.

~Something up?~ the bot commed. Sam nodded, stepping out of the cab of the Peterbilt. Bumblebee opened a door for him courteously as he approached, making it clear Sam was welcome anytime he needed a ride. The boy waited for the door to shut before answering his inquiry.

“There are large numbers of Decepticons in this solar system according to what the Primes decoded from the Allspark. Optimus was willing to put in a good word for Sentinel, but that isn’t what troubles me,” Sam confided, “the Allspark had more meanings in that statement than just that. Valeo’s knowledge was not enough to read into what was left unsaid, but still… there is something off with this whole situation…” Bumblebee hummed thoughtfully, and Sam appreciated his friend’s presence tonight. He had forgotten how much the Cybertronians all knew without seeming overbearing.

~I don’t doubt that. The Allspark knows things that only Primus could know after all. Though I wish Jazz were here, or at least Prowl...~ Bumblebee’s sadness was not unfamiliar to Sam as he spoke over the comlink. He patted the leather seat softly in understanding, ~Are you going to split yourself again soon?~ The bot asked changing the subject, Sam nodded. A playful smirk crossing his face.

“Perhaps we could go for a drive together then?” Sam suggested. The Camero’s engine hummed, and Sam realized that was the best answer yet. He started the processors barriers going down, and felt Bumblebee’s strange sort of anticipation for its completion. The headlights of the Peterbilt flashed, which might as well of been Valeo blinking into awareness. “Could you allow him to com for a moment? I haven’t mastered telepathy in these long months without you guys.” Bumblebee snickered, and there was a distinctive crack in the radio before Valeo said anything.

“That answers quite a bit of our questions. Sam, do you mind if I head back to base for now to rekindle Sentinel’s spark?” the Peterbilt engine roared to life across the parking structure, “or perhaps you would find it more amusing to see us race?” Sam smiled, as amusing as that would be he wasn’t that irresponsible. The only one he sped in was Bumblebee, and that was because the scout had the sensors not to get caught. At least not yet.

“You can go, Bumblebee and I are going to go for a nice drive while you’re off saving the world,” Sam answered, and as the Peterbilt passed by them Sam remembered one of the things he should address, “Valeo?” The Peterbilt stopped its approach to the exit, Sam cleared his throat out of nervousness, “don’t forget to get much higher security on those pillars. In fact… please do that before you wake Sentinel. Those are too dangerous to be left out like that.” Valeo tapped the brake lights and was off on his own duties.

“How did he get to be so boring while you aren’t?” Bumblebee’s Cybertronian voice was coming through the speakers now, Sam realized with a start that the Camero could actually talk to him without using the radio now that he possessed the Protoform. Sam shrugged, knowing that Bumblebee could translate his body movements or the language of Sam with just as much accuracy as Sam could decipher Bumblebee’s messages prior to the Protoform.

 

Valeo’s processor wondered at the complexity of the Human mind, so versatile in elements that it didn’t quite comprehend. Sam’s reactions to Bumblebee were often odd to him, and while he understood the boy’s attachment to the bot, he could not help but feel jealous of the scout that took so much time with his organic holoform. He was unsure as to why he would be jealous of the other bot spending time with himself, but issued an override to shut down the thought process from proceeding further.

Right now his primary objective was to rekindle Sentinel Prime’s spark and learn more about the bot. Sam’s human nature had left a profound amount of concern over the use of such a device as the pillars. Valeo didn’t have any objections to getting the teleportation device better security, but he wasn’t sure what to do about Director Mearing if she decided to interfere… He wasn’t about to inform her of what the pillars were actually for, humans would be dangerous with that type of technology.

Instead he focused on understanding Sam’s motives in this grand scheme. As a part of that soul he wished to know what drove it to the decisions that Sam made. Ratchet once spoke with him about Sam’s courage, undeniable in its amount, and certainly more than any normal human’s. Valeo could not however accept that idea as the only reason, Sam was a Prime in both name and ideals. Whether his human counterpart understood the weight of that title even now was beyond Valeo’s knowledge.

As he arrived back on base Ironhide pulled up beside him, the older mech looking rather worn at the gears. Ratchet’s com sent a form of emotion that boardered on pleasant for the Medic, and the Twins were off making fools of themselves somewhere, not that Valeo was at all surprised by that. Que came to greet him as he shifted to bipedal mode. The inventor seemed rather amused at him today, but Valeo sensed more to his intentions.

~Valeo, I was able to calculate the amount of pillars that should have been onboard the Ark, unfortunately we have less than a tenth of the overall projected amount,~ the scientist commed walking towards where Sentinel was laying with Ratchet.

~That does not bode well, do not tell the humans of this. We have the only control pillar that Sentinel designed, the others are but parts in a broken machine without it,~ Valeo responded on the all bots channel. Ironhide nodded in agreement.

~What did the Allspark have to say? Or was it something else?~ Ratchet inquired running a scan over Sentinel’s systems checking for any changes. Valeo inclined his head towards the Medic, securing the channel between the four of them.

~The  Allspark was making noise because it wanted to warn us. It picked up several hundred Decepticon signals in this solar system,~ Valeo announced gravely, ~there were other comments, but they confirmed that the only control pillar is in our possession. They also mentioned that only Sentinel Prime could operate it.~

~I don’t like this Valeo,~ the Medic started, he crossed his arms, ~if Sentinel is the only one who can operate it… I would rather we didn’t bring him to anywhere near them. Not until we are more aware of his intentions.~ Valeo nodded in agreement, the same thing had crossed Sam’s mind much earlier.


	4. Sam at NASA

Sam watched, he was disgusted with the treatment he was being given. Carly just didn’t understand, nor did he feel inclined to explain why exiling Optimus (Valeo) Prime was the worst idea for the planet right now. When Dylan attached that damned device to his wrist he worried initially, but Ratchet had already gotten his data burst. He masked and changed the signature to match Prime’s Original. Sam was already wearing a device to disguise his own spark from detection. He had been for almost two years just for such a reason. The watch was synced to his organic nervous system, but failed to get past his processor barriers in Valeo.

So long as he remained using both forms separately the watch would never pick up on the strange activities going through in his mind. That or the waves of information being transferred to Optimus’s Protoform. He was glad when that damn watch decided to leave when it did. He flung the thing off the tower and sent a mental command to Valeo.

VALEO PRIME

“Roll out, we’re clear, I repeat, we’re clear!” the tones had taken on Sam’s own temporarily, “Ratchet, disable all trackers we allowed the humans to plant. I will bring Ironhide back, Bumblebee… let’s go rescue Sam, again.” He smiled at the scout who returned the gesture, and Valeo transformed. He had the schematics of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs pulled and disbursed them to the rest of the Autobots. That was where Dylan had taken Carly, so his organic holoform would end up there. Sentinel Prime and Megatron had also based their operations there, at least from what Sam had figured out with Simmons.

“Valeo Prime, we may have a chance to fix the problem with Sentinel. I didn’t get a chance to scan his processors, but I think he could be restored,” Ratchet spoke shaking off the sea water, “all I need to do is reset his circuits. Valeo, it’s not your fault.” Bumblebee agreed transforming. All communications switched to Coms, Valeo Prime’s signal masker was re-programmed and the others sparks were disguised with Decepticon signals.

~Valeo, you cannot blame yourself for what Sentinel has done. Ironhide offlined doing what he believed in, you will do just fine,~ Sideswipe commed. Valeo just didn’t understand why they were all trying to cheer him up, it was entirely his fault that Sentinel was up and walking around. He was the one that used the Matrix to revive him, granted Orion had also thought it was a wise idea at the time.

~Ratchet, is there a chance that Sentinel will regress back to this state again?~ Valeo asked, the answer was clear in his mind, but he needed to be sure.

~There is always a chance, but the possibility is also quite large that he will revert back to this coding at some point unless we can find what caused it and permanently repair it,~ Ratchet answered, ~with Wheeljack’s assistance I may be able to do so. However I sense you have already made your decision on the matter. He will be offlined then?~

~There is no choice. He is a threat to humanity, and they will want revenge for what damage he has caused and is currently doing to them from what Sam is transmitting. Humans like revenge and retribution, even if we fixed his processors issues he would be either exiled or executed when they got their chance,~ Valeo explained, ~I will uphold the standards that Optimus set before me, humanity will be protected, and it would be unfair to Sentinel to subject him to exile while the rest of us are here.~

~That’s one way of looking at it, but perhaps we could send him to the Magnus,~ Wheeljack mused. Valeo had yet to hear of this Magnus, he was unaware of most of the bots he did not already know. ~The Magnus was supposed to head to Earth in a few vorns, he wanted to inspect the living conditions of Cybertronians on Earth.~

~Ratchet, how long would the repair trace take?~ Valeo could feel things getting tense with Sam, ~If you can get him fixed and off earth before the human’s have a chance to offline him do it.~

~You’ll have to disable him Valeo, do you think you can handle it?~ Ratchet questioned. Valeo Prime called upon the Allspark, it would be their only chance to disable the once wise and knowing bot. The ancient device was more than happy to be included, and informed him using pictures that it would restore and reboot his systems itself if Valeo was the one to offline him.

~The Allspark is on board with our plan Ratchet, but I will have to offline him, but it promises to fix him afterwards. Processors and all,~ Valeo answered speeding up. The other bots’ sparks lifted at the idea, that the Allspark was willing to help. ~It was not pleased with Sentinel about Ironhide, so I suspect it wants the chance to lecture him as well.~

SAM

Sam looked over at Epps, the man had agreed to help him rescue Carly, but more than anything he was pissed. Robert Epps had seen the Decepticons first hand, and he knew as soon as the Autobots boarded the Xantium that they were in danger. Seeing Sam alright had strengthened his resolve, and confirmed his suspicions that the Autobots had somehow survived.

“How have you been Sam?” Epps attempted to talk to him again. Their conversations had been strained, Sam’s concentration was with Valeo currently. It was a wonder things weren’t worse. “How did they fare from Starscream’s attack?”

“The Wreckers are the ones to thank for that nice light show. I wasn’t much help on either side,” Sam admitted, it was safe to leave Valeo with the others for now, “that was the most nerve racking couple hours of my young life.”

“I’ll imagine,” the former NEST Sergeant replied, “you ready for Chicago?”

“I wasn’t ready at Mission City, or at Egypt, so does it matter?” the boy asked with a weary smile.

“True,” Epps grinned, “let’s kick some Decepticon aft my friend.” Sam nodded.

“Epps…” Sam started cautiously, “if I could somehow manage it, do you think you would want to be bonded to Jazz’s Protoform?” The ex-communications officer pulled the car over, and looked at Sam dazed.

“Say that in English for me, like English that a second grader could get, ‘cause I really doubt that sounded like what I thought it did,” Epps turned off the car, his buddies pulling off the road behind him. Valeo sent a mixture of warning and calm his direction.

“If you could be in my, let’s call it predicament, would you? Only Jazz instead of… big Bhudda?” Sam tired again, “its ultimately your choice…” Sam felt his resolve waver, and let his voice trail off. There were few people in the world that were qualified or loyal enough to the Autobots to consider asking such a thing. The  ex-communication officer’s wide open mouth seemed more flabbergasted than irritated however.

“You’re telling me I could, you know, be one of them?” Epps’ eyes widened in pure amazement, “you gotta be joking me.” Sam thought that was refusal and immediately sank down in his seat, “Where the hell do I sign up?” The amount of relief that washed over his features was immense.

“All you have to do is get your hands on an Allspark shard, I’m aware there are two out there,” Sam answered hesitantly, “if not I suppose I could sort of make one… It will have to wait until after this though….”

“Not a problem, gives me a good reason to keep my old fat ass alive,” Epps grinned restarting the car promptly. Sam was greeted by old fashion whistling tunes for the next couple hundred miles.


	5. Skipping forward to the rescue of Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Wheeljack. Then battle with Optimus, Sentinel, and Megs.

SAMUEL WITWICKY

Sam scowled, how the hell had he managed to get Valeo tangled up in those wires? The Wreckers were busy freeing up ‘Optimus’, that left Jolt… and those two miscreants that had been staying with him for the past few months. He commed the Medic in training, the bot was hiding nearby waiting for a shot. Wheeljack was in trouble, and the damned boom stick the inventor gave him was malfunctioning.

Jolt was no Sideswipe, he also didn’t have Ironhide’s cannons or Megatron’s fusion canon that could act like a sniper rifle. He had electric whips, and possibly some knives in his subspace. The young Medic however wanted to help, he wrapped a whip around Soundwave’s ped and pulled hard on Sam’s signal. Epps’ friends shot out the bot’s optics, and Bumblebee seized his chance.

Unlike Jolt, the scout carried a full arsenal, his canons being his primary heavy weapons. He blasted the bot known as Shockwave away from a shaken Wheeljack, Jolt arched his whips further disrupting the Decepticon’s concentration. Sam took Wheeljack and ran for cover leaving Ratchet and the others to take care of the startled Decepticons. It had helped their cause when the Decepticon ships appeared to fall out of the sky for no reason.

Wheelie had commed Sam with the message ~FORE~ scant seconds before the first one could land on his human form. Wheeljack hid where the seals teams were emerging from the water, he was going to attempt to get the bridges down for them while Sam was going to see if there was any way he could help Bumblebee.

VALEO PRIME

When the Wreckers finally broke him loose Valeo was given the brunt of his conciseness. Sentinel would be a difficult opponent, and there were still the very lethal Decepticons such as Shockwave and Megatron to be defeated. Those three rested solely on his shoulders, he would not expect anyone else to take on such devastating bots. He readied his Axe and charged Shockwave, Bumblebee blasted the bot from behind and Valeo swung his Axe with as much power as he could towards the menacing bot.

Shockwave had deflected the blow using his rifle, but the axe lodged halfway up the barrel rendering both weapons useless. Valeo released the handle to avoid a punch that would have broke off one of his antennas, he countered by grabbing the menacing red optic. He ripped it out with such force that it tore the spinal wiring along with it.

‘One down, two all-powerful bots to go,’ Valeo thought skepticly. Ratchet commed him urgently to go after Sentinel. The space bridge was opening, and for the first time Valeo’s optics glanced Cybertron. It was hive like in structure, and reminded him of an overly menacing honeycomb waiting just in the upper atmosphere. Orion sent waves of both sorrow and urgency to him from the Matrix where he was watching. Something else startled Valeo, there on the edge of his vision was an all too familiar motor home.

He scanned it, there were no signs of life. He turned towards Sentinel and pulled out his blaster, all of his sorrow flooding into the single shot. The cupola where Carly had seen the control pillar was sent crashing to the ground Sentinel yelling and screaming the whole way down. Sam could see it from where he stood as well, and Valeo knew if he allowed any images of the motor home to cross his processor Sam would freeze in his place.

Sentinel charged him, screaming at him. Saying how the needs of the many were worth more than the needs of the few. Valeo struck back hard, but his own combat moves were no more than grazes when compared to the devastating sword that Sentinel held in his hands. Valeo had to bring up Optimus’ special battle protocols and his great Axe from his frame. Thank Primus that Ironhide had just finished updating it three weeks ago…

 

SENTINEL PRIME

“Please Sentinel come to your senses,” Optimus asked him with begging optics. Sentinel could feel some sympathy for his fellow Prime, because what young Optimus lacked in decisiveness he more than made up in bravery and courage. That Axe in the other’s hand was no toy, and it made brutal crushing blows that tended to leave whatever it was focused at offlined.

“We were once considered gods, will you not reconsider?” Sentinel held his sword at the other Prime, “Ultra should be on his way to claim you soon Optimus, you would be wise to surrender and wait for him.” He was surprised by the lack of recognition in the other Mech’s eyes. Was he still so naïve that he could not see that Ultra Magnus adored him? That he would clearly go to such great lengths just to let Optimus stay so naïve.

“I cannot reconsider Sentinel. These humans do not deserve what you and the Decepticons have in store for them,” Optimus spoke evenly, sorrow evident in his optics, but nothing of it was for Ultra Magnus. “I cannot, I will not allow you to use the human race as slaves to rebuild Cybertron.” He charged, and Sentinel parried the Axe away with little difficulty, because although Optimus had lived through and won the War, Sentinel had lived through the beginnings of the War as well. It made him what he was today after all.

“Then you will have to be cut down,” Sentinel growled out. He jumped back searching for the control pillar, Cybertron would fall into ruin if left in its half transported state. “Decepticons, find and replace the pillar!” Optimus had placed himself between Sentinel and the ruins that possibly held it. “Quickly, reactivate the pillar!”

Sentinel tried to defeat the other Mech, and he might have gotten the best of the smaller Mech had the men of that blasted NEST unit not been shooting at him. Then came the missiles he had roughly identified as US Tomahawks, he had uploaded a great deal of weapons information and he was surprised the flimsy technologies had made it past the Decepticon fleet responsible for the air blockade. Had Megatron’s forces really been this messy when fighting them vorns and eons ago?

The human that Megatron had been using for their purposes made it to the pillar and reactivated it. Sentinel would have to remember to thank the little insect when he finished off Optimus… Speaking of said Prime, what had he just smashed inside his armor? The spark signature he was giving off was not the one that Sentinel had felt earlier, nor was it of a Mech’s he had ever met before.

“Who are you?” Sentinel questioned, he beat down the other Mech’s defenses harshly. He chipped away pieces of the other bot, even managing to wedge off one of the strange Mech’s arms, “Answer me, for you are not Optimus Prime!” As the arm fell away Sentinel felt the blast from behind. His armor was scorched badly, and misshaped from the sheer force of the blast.

“That…” the voice from behind him called, “is Valeo Prime. Or can you not read your HUD Sentinel Prime?” Megatron fired again, knocking Sentinel’s helm  to the ground. “Your grasp at power ends here traitor!” Sentinel kicked the gun out of his hand, it landed before the Mech identified as Valeo Prime. Valeo it seemed, was not as indecisive as the Mech he appeared to be. This new Prime faced off against Megatron as Sentinel sat partially disabled on the bridge unable to do anything more than watch or crawl.

His spinal and nervous cables had been seriously damaged by Megatron’s blasts. Valeo fought Megatron down, and Sentinel saw what awaited him as the Mech proceeded to remove the feared Decepticon Leader’s head. The Mech approached him with optics full of sorrow and pity, taking up the gun of the Decepticon leader Sentinel only felt the first round. His audios registered the second as he offlined.

 

VALEO PRIME

            “ _You didn’t betray me Sentinel… You betrayed yourself,_ ” Valeo stated sadly tossing the gun away. He had no use for such a weapon, and he refused to hold onto the thing that possibly offlined his organic creators. He saw Lennox approaching with Sam in tow and breathed a sigh of relief, at least one portion of him would be allowed out of the Medbay soon.

“What in the name of Primus are you thinking Prime? Get you aft over here this astrosecond!” that would be Ratchet in response to his missing servo. The Medic’s optics clearly widened when he turned around to give him a full look at the damage. “You glitch head, you’re lucky to be standing with those wounds.”

“I’d rather you clamped the lines shut until we are able to get back to base Ratchet,” Valeo sent the other half as a com, ~why did Sentinel think mentioning the Magnus would make me hesitate?~ The Medic gave him a hesitant look as he clamped the leaking Energon lines shut.

~That would be better left until we returned to base Sam,~ Ratchet answered assessing the damaged area, ~which you will be walking to the base. Sentinel made mince meat out of your transforming cog. Please don’t attempt any changes.~

~I won’t, but we are using the other base. Sam will be coming with us,~ Valeo commed, ~Megatron may have been defeated, but I was very nearly ripped in half in the process. Not to mention there is a very high chance my Organic creators are both dead.~

“Samuel,” Ratchet called worriedly, the boy looked up where he was standing with Carly, “Time to be strong, come on.” Sam hugged her, and he went up to Valeo Prime.  Valeo looked down and allowed Sam to climb in his remaining servo, Ratchet looked concerned. Valeo brought down the processor barriers, Sam screamed.

“No…. it’s not possible,” Sam screamed, slamming a hand against his own metal chest. He was calm on one side, and the other side was entirely in hysterics. “NO! You can’t make me accept this!” Valeo held tight to the crazed organic soul of himself, Carly was looking scared at them. Only Carly though, Lennox had already informed his team via radio about the motor home, and Epps had been there to see it.

“LET HIM GO!” the british born beauty yelled, Lennox grabbed her loosely. Valeo watched as she was informed exactly what he hadn’t had to say. “Oh my god, Sam… I’m so sorry… Sam…” she cried. She cried over the loss of his parents, with him. Valeo walked towards her, nodding and Bumblebee placed her next to Sam in his servo. She held him tight, and Valeo in turn held them carefully.

“Carly, meet Valeo Prime,” Sam whispered, “do you know what Valeo means?” She looked at him, expecting more hysteria and only finding a calm tear stained face. “To be strong, a Prime with the name Valor. Who stronger than the human turned into a Prime?”

“No it’s not possible, this… it’s not possible…” Carly whispered, pulling herself tight against the organic Sam. In the palm of Valeo Prime, Sam in Optimus’ protoform.

“I hate to use an overused quote, but… Believe it. This is why I cannot simply let them go,” Sam explained, the tears still fell, “you don’t have to come, but it is something you have to know before you get in too deep. Right now however the bots need me, and they need my full concentration. Ironhide is gone, and so is Sentinel. That leaves me, and Ratchet, to prepare everything. And their version of the Pope is coming to visit soon.”

“Valeo, how are you going to get back to base?” Ratchet questioned, and the Prime turned to him, Sam gave him the stink eye.  The answer seemed clear to everyone there, the world knew about transformers now. The only question is how many of them were walking. “If you want to go wait in a parking structure Prime, Wheeljack and I will work up something to get you home more discretely. Until then Bumblebee and Jolt will remain here with you.”

“When are we going to discuss what Sentinel said?” Sam asked, he didn’t bother trying to hide his connection now. Valeo shielded them from view, but not enough to muffle that.

“I do not know Prime, I do not know,” Ratchet answered. Sam was miffed about that, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it at present. Valeo took them to the nearest structurally sound Parking structure, Bumblebee was already there waiting. Jolt had snuck in afterwards.

“Is there anything we can do Prime?” Jolt inquired, Valeo set down the two humans carefully. Sam smiled up at the bot sadly, Carly was uncertain about Jolt but was happy to see Bumblebee.

“Not unless you have information about Ultra Magnus,” Sam asked hopefully, “Is Mirage going to be joining us or did he go with Ratchet and Wheeljack?”

“I’m not sure, Mirage and Sideswipe were sweeping the city for more Decepticons last I heard,” Jolt answered, “as for Ultra Magnus, I believe Mirage is your best bet of the bots here. Ironhide and Ratchet would have been my next suggestions after him. Unless you have access to Prime’s memory data, he had the most interaction besides Sentinel Prime.”

“That is true, but I’ve found that Prime’s data does not contain any data that would explain what Sentinel was talking about. Can you have Mirage stop by soon?” Sam requested. The bot nodded and walked off, leaving Sam with Carly with Valeo and Bumblebee.

“So how does it work?” Carly asked, Sam raised an eyebrow at her. “How can you be yourself and this bot, Prime right, at the same time?” Sam watched Bumblebee roll a lazy loop around the parking structure. His way of giving them a little privacy, Sam appreciated the gesture, even if he knew the bot could eavesdrop from a mile away in some areas. It was sweet to know he recognized when an awkward conversation was likely to happen.

“Even Ratchet isn’t entirely sure, and he the Autobots CMO. It sort of like looking through two cameras at once I guess, you can see, hear, feel, and react to each situation as it happens. There’s differences of height and how you’re expected to act of course, but mostly it’s just doing what I know is the right thing to do I guess,” Sam touched the mangled Mech looking over the damage to the protoform himself. Ratchet had been right to be angry, he could see why certain sensors hadn’t even bothered to sound off.

“Who all knows about you being… him?” Carly was looking at his face as he examined the damage inflicted by the different bots and Sentinel. Valeo smiled at her for him, seeing as he was trying to concentrate on locating the biggest issues on his frame for Ratchet.

“ _Lennox and Epps are the only government related people who know. They were informed after Egypt when the merger occurred,”_ Valeo spoke like Optimus for convience’s sake, Carly looked up at him, “ _My parents didn’t even know the truth. All of the Autobots know that have been stationed here since Egypt, Sentinel had not been informed yet because there had not been an opportunity to do so._ ” Sam climbed up the side and tugged out an irritating wire.

“Your parents didn’t know?” she asked surprised looking up at the bot now, since it was the one speaking to her. Currently Sam was half buried in Valeo’s right shoulder, he was looking in on the systems and wires. Performing minor repairs with the tools he had pulled out of Valeo’s subspace pocket.

“ _No, they knew that I possessed the knowledge contained within the Allspark, but they did not know about this,_ ” the bot gestured softly towards  Sam, “ _They may have suspected something was off, but they never asked either of us or Bumblebee. The only other person who knows is Ratchet’s assistant, Ms. Mikaela Banes._ ” Sam climbed down after a moment, using the remaining servo to return to ground level.

“I knew from the moment we were connected that the fewer human’s involved in it, the better. There is the very real chance that the government will try to dissect me for this,” Sam announced, he no longer was frightened of the idea however. Something about destroying Megatron, the Fallen, and offlining Sentinel Prime had taken the majority of his fear out of play. Along with the fact that Sam, as a human with limited tools, had taken down Starscream by himself.

“You don’t seem to be afraid of that anymore…” Carly noticed it as well it seemed, “does it have something to do with your parents death?”

“Partially, I no longer have to worry about the government using them against me to flush me out into public. I also managed to take down Starscream on my own with most of NEST watching. No sane man will go after me,” Sam reasoned, “I also went to Chicago without hesitation despite the fact it was covered in Decepticons, when even NEST and the military in general was having difficulty breaking into the city. Epps would have refused if Valeo hadn’t shown up when he did.”

“That would change things a bit, but isn’t that assuming a bit much?” Carly faced him, “what if they attempt to use me or someone else to close to you?” Sam frowned, he had considered that many times. To him, the only ones that truly concerned him were his parents, they were innocent in the whole matter. He had also feared that his parents would be dissected as well, because of their biological similarities to him.

“The difference is now I am the only one they can hurt, and I am not that easy to kill. They wouldn’t risk turning me into an enemy now, not after watching me personally offline Shockwave, Megatron, the Fallen, Starscream, and let’s not forget Sentinel Prime. It would also turn the Autobots against them as well,” Sam leaned against Valeo gesturing for Carly to do the same, “if you decide you don’t want to be part of this you are free to leave at anytime. Even if it would break my heart so see you go.”

“That means a lot to me Sam, and thank you for the honesty,” Carly kissed his cheek, “I don’t know that it would be safe either way…” Sam felt his heart ache already at the idea, however he had to be honest, most of the Decepticons that knew about her were dead, and the only threat would be the US government.

“It would be, as long as you went home. The Decepticons won’t bother you, not with the last demonstration I gave them. The US government on its own soil would be more of a problem,” Sam reasoned, “I can have Bumblebee take you home so you have time to think on the matter. At least one of us will be comfortable then…”

“You are too adorable Sam, I think Bumblebee’s back seat will suffice for the night,” she gave him a small kiss, “night Sam.” The yellow scout had appeared before them when he heard his name, Sam gave him the go ahead to take her to a secure segment close by.

“Mirage is scheduled to drop in shortly, do you want me to start on the repairing of Valeo for Ratchet?” Jolt inquired. Sam nodded, sitting out of the way but nearby. He was more than a little startled when he felt something heavy roll into his legs lightly. He turned around and saw nothing at first, then a bright fire engine red Ferrari appeared after a brief shimmer of light. Jolt excused himself at the spy’s arrival, sensing that this would be a semi confidential conversation.

“You requested my presence?” the bot spoke in regal Cybertronian. Sam nodded, he was once again reminded why his designation was in fact Mirage. The Autobot spy had been wary of him upon his arrival, but after Sam’s support during a couple of narrow escapes later and some questions on his loyalty he was willing to trust the human turned Cybertronian. The Ferrari was rather fond of the human, he provided all sorts of useful insight into human idioms and slang.

“Yes, I need some information on a certain Mech. I was told that you were the one to ask,” Sam watched the Mech’s headlights dim, he was thinking, “I need information about Ultra Magnus. Specifically about his interactions with Optimus Prime. Sentinel brought him up, and discovered that I was not who I was partially due to this lack of knowledge on my part.” The Ferrari shifted into bipedal mode, looking at same with amused optics. There was also a good measure of concern radiating from the bot.

“There’s a very good reason why Sentinel thought that would make Optimus hesitate…” Mirage spoke softly, “where do you want me to begin? I’m afraid that its quite a long story.” Sam frowned, this was entirely the problem, people would only give him the long story. Right now what he needed were answers, not more round about stories. He trusted that Mirage, being the bot of practicality that he was, would give him the lightly shortened version.

“I need answers, the first one I need to know is why Sentinel thought that would stop me. Do you need to see a databurst of the conversation?” Sam inquired, Mirage shook his head, “I need to know any crucial information pertaining to Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus.”

“That will not be necessary,” Mirage answered, “what do you know of the Magnus already?” Sam knew the question was to determine how much he needed to know in addition to the information he had asked for.

“I know from Memory files I have watched from Optimus and the information that Ratchet has pounded into me that Magnus is the rank above Prime. That the Magnus is the Supreme Commander, and that his word is to be followed without question, even more so than a Prime’s word,” he answered quoting the information, “the Magnus is the authority over all bots, Decepticon and Autobot alike.”

“That is right, your earlier statement in reference to him being a Pope however is inaccurate. You, as Valeo Prime, are more like the Pope. The Prime is the spiritual and civilian leader of Cybertronian, while the Lord Protector is in charge of the military,” Mirage started, “and all that power granted to him corrupted Lord Megatron absolutely. The Magnus was off planet when the ordeal began so long ago, stranded by Megatron’s followers on a distant planet. His orders were the only ones that could stop Megatron’s, Sentinel Prime was left to retaliate.”

“From there he designed the pillars, the war efforts were comparable to the World Wars of this planet. After a while it seems Sentinel figured it was hopeless to keep fighting, he designed the pillars to rebuild the planet no matter what it cost us,” Mirage lowered his helm a little in shame, “I had no idea as to his intents otherwise I would have told Optimus immediately. I am truly sorry I was unable to prevent this Valeo Prime, but you asked about Ultra Magnus’ part in all of this.”

“Its fine Mirage, its things I didn’t really think about much yet,” Sam smiled at the bot, “Please continue however you see best for this tale. There is so much I have yet to hear about.” The regal bot nodded, he seemed a lot more relaxed at Sam’s statement. He gestured for Sam to return to his Protoform’s side, Sam did so returned to Valeo’s hand.

“When Sentinel and Ark disappeared the Autobot forces morale dropped like a rock. The Decepticons attacked, the Autobot forces were driven into hiding until Optimus emerged. Defending the massive databanks of the Underbase from Megatron and his troops, Optimus and three bots more trigger happy than Ironhide managed to fend them off long enough to thwart them. It was during that time that Prime’s leadership abilities were first tested, and after much conflict with the Decepticon forces he was elected as the Autobot Commander,” the spy looked rather uncomfortable now, “that was before anyone knew that Ultra Magnus had been stranded. When word of this reached Optimus he set out with a team of bots to rescue the commander. This was a diversion to attack supplies elsewhere, but Ultra Magnus is a bot that most would die to defend. His gratitude at being rescued from the reclusive planet was cut short when heard about Megatron’s utter betrayal. Prime handed over the title of Supreme Commander to the Magnus and returned to Cybertron to fight the war.”

“Was that the first time they met?” Sam asked leaning against Valeo’s sparkplates comfortably. The spy shrugged, his uneasiness had returned here.

“As a spy I have come across many tales of their first meetings, it became lore in fact the meeting of those two. I myself do not know Optimus Prime’s original history, I do know however that meeting in particular may be the beginning of what Sentinel was speaking of,” Mirage leaned against a support pillar watching as Jolt made a lazy pass by, “The Magnus was impressed by Prime’s utter selflessness and his courage, in a way he admired him. Perhaps more so than anyone realized, I have spoken to many Mechs and Femmes that had tried to court him. They say that he never seemed the least bit interested. Yet I have records from Ratchet, and other reliable sources that the bot was never any less than courteous around Prime. No matter the circumstances, or if he had just been given the worst news yet of the war. Ultra Magnus only showed Optimus Prime respect and kindness from his rescue onwards.”

“You make it sound as if this was abnormal,” Sam spoke softly, “Which means… It wasn’t just some sort of admiration was it?”

“You are correct, from what I have come to understand Ultra Magnus was completely helm over peds for Prime. Not that Optimus, being the oblivious bot that he was, ever noticed that the Magnus had in fact fallen for him. Being the main leaders of the Autobots however meant neither had much time to spare,” Mirage continued, “often times they were on different ends of the systems or so heavily engaged in meetings that contact with each other was virtually nonexistent. There are rumors that Ultra Magnus would skip some of these meetings or pull in favors to have meetings in the same area or planet as Prime. Why this pertains to you is that Ultra Magnus is in fact on his way, at least according to the latest transmissions I swiped from the Decepticons, and that he does not know of Optimus’ offlineing.”

“In other words, I am so screwed,” Sam brought a hand to his face, then looked over at the spy, “I have only just taken command, I have little to no experience in dealing with sort of thing… Mirage, is there any hope this won’t turn into a total clusterfuck?” The spy had to first look up the meaning of ‘total clusterfuck,’ before he shrugged, he was only supposed to observe bots, he did not really interact with most bots.

“Consult the Allspark Valeo if you are worried, but know this. That the things that the Magnus admired about Optimus are the very things that you have more of from what I understand. Will that be all?” the spy inquired. Sam nodded, it certainly answered his earlier questions. It posed new ones as well, but these were ones that either the other Primes or Ratchet would have to address.

“Wait I have thought of something, please have Sentinel gathered discretely and placed under Ratchet and Wheeljack’s discretion,” Sam he closed his eyes, “I am going to attempt to get some sleep before Ratchet comes in wanting to kick my aft.”

“I will pass along the word then, Mirage out,” the bot rolled out of the structure quietly, and Jolt returned to his place at Sam’s side.


	6. Cluing the Director Mearing in... Finally

Lennox smiled as he approached Valeo Prime, he could see Sam snuggling against the warmth of the spark plates from here. It also made him miss Ironhide terribly, but seeing what was left of the bot wasn’t very promising. Sam may have strange bot reviving abilities, but this… It wasn’t something easily fixed. Chicago was in ruins, Ironhide was offlined, Valeo’s arm was sitting a couple of feet away on the ground, and Ratchet was well into Hatchet mode already with everything going on.

“If the transport is ready just wake them up already and get them back to base,” the female voice ordered. Lennox turned to see Director Mearing in full force already, she was in for a rude awakening if Ratchet’s mood was anything to go by. The Medic had declined coming, but he did give Lennox instructions to leave Prime alone if he was in recharge.

“No can do Director Mearing, their CMO gave me instructions to wait until they were awake. I have no intentions at getting a Cybertronian sized wrench thrown in my direction,” Lennox started in on damage control, his soldiers nodded and went back to their assigned duties. Bumblebee was helping to clear parts of the rubble away, as were the Wreckers surprisingly. Sideswipe was even helping out, Jolt was working on Valeo’s shoulder while this all was going on.

“This is ridiculous Major, and why is Witwicky sleeping there?” she looked about ready to storm up to the sleeping Prime, Lennox held her back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing. Unhand me at once!” Lennox shook his head, he could just see the Hatchet now.

“Doc Hatchet told us to leave him be, you’d best listen or—” Lennox wasn’t sure that Ratchet would throw a wrench at Director Mearing, but he did know his ass was on the line if she managed to wake up Sam or Valeo Prime.

“What seems to be the problem Lennox?” Sam yawned sliding down from his perch. “Hatchet doesn’t normally make an appearance this early in the morning…” Lennox saluted the boy, causing the Director to become even more confused. Sam just nodded, trying to stifle another yawn.

“Well he might not have been so grumpy if someone hadn’t gotten his arm torn off in the way that makes it so very difficult for him to reattach it,” Lennox responded with a soft grin, Sam’s eyes held a mischievous look in them.

“Couldn’t help it, Sentinel was a tougher opponent than we expected. Jolt’s nearly fixed the ports there though, Ratchet will just have to tweak the arm for the most part. How soon until the next set of arrivals?” Sam looked slightly nervous now. The Major looked at his watch, then at the speechless director.

“I heard about two or three weeks. Sideswipe was noticeably smiling at one of the names, and Ratchet just about glitched at the same name. Any guesses?” Lennox smiled.

“Sunstreaker will be with them obviously, no wonder Sideswipe’s helping out,” Sam smiled softly, “then I guess there is no time to waste.” Valeo stood, walking out towards where they all stood. Lennox knew that Sam had separated them again by the majestic movements of the bot. It was truly something beautiful to behold when he did that, even if he was beat to all hell and missing an arm.

“You may want to close your mouth director, it may draw flies if you leave it like that,” Valeo commented. Certainly that was all the proof she needed on whatever theory she was working on. Valeo had scooped up Sam and placed him on his shoulder. Lennox had to fight the smile from his face as she was shocked speechless.

“It’s not possible…” Mearing breathed watching the beat up bot fold up and drive onto the trailer Ratchet had supplied. Jolt followed closely behind, making sure nothing reopened as shifted into Alt mode.

“It’s hardly impossible, just highly improbable. I suggest you ask him yourself when you get to base,” Lennox commented. His smiles were soon shed for his poker face, he was still waiting for Ironhide to show up and grab him. Tears pricked at his eyes as he remembered the fate of his friend.

 

VALEO/SAM

~Valeo to Sideswipe. Do you copy?~ Sam commed. He knew all too well what was going through Lennox’s mind right now. It was the same thing that happened to his when Bumblebee had found them a place to stay that fateful night.

~Loud and clear, did you need something Prime?~ the bot answered. Sam knew that Sideswipe could never replace Ironhide, but he could make it a little easier on the Major for the time being.

~As a matter of fact, I need you to keep an eye on Major Lennox for me. He’s going to blame himself that Ironhide got offlined, and quite possibly be incurably miserable. I want you to keep an eye on him for me while you’re helping out,~ Sam then smiled and sent what he hoped was a hopeful feeling through the com, ~consider it  a get out of jail card for you and Sunstreaker when he arrives. Good for two pranks each, and for anything except me intercepting Ratchet. Will that be a sufficient reward for this task?~ He felt all sorts of mirth from the other side as well as mischief.

~You can count on me Prime, I’ll even take the human out to the range with that offer,~ Sideswipe cut the com, obviously intent on making Lennox’s day better. He raised the processor barriers ever so slightly, Valeo taking control easily now to look at him. He would rather talk with Valeo than think in circles about this whole thing.

“I am surprised by you,” the Mech voiced, his tone was different from the one Optimus Prime normally used. It was just a little higher, and it surprised Sam to hear it.

“How so? What do you think about this Ultra Magnus from our collective information,” Sam asked seriously, the Mech’s optics dimmed slightly, “is there more to this that you have yet to share then? I wasn’t aware you could keep secrets when we were merged.”

“I cannot, I was accessing the data that Optimus left for us. The Magnus comes across as kind and wise, his help may be essential in figuring out our situation,” Valeo answered leaning back against the trailer softly, “but that was not what you intended to ask was it? You wonder if he’ll offline us strictly because we are not Optimus, and if it is at all avoidable. This sort of information will not be available until we observe some sort of reaction from him. If Prowl were here he could tell us, but I highly suspect that he and Sunstreaker are both with Ultra Magnus.”

“What about the fact he was courting Optimus, can this be seen in his memories?” Sam questioned. The Mech’s eyes dimmed again, it was interesting to watch for Sam while he waited. “How long until we reach Ratchet anyways?”

“An hour or so from here, traffic is not cooperating with Epps otherwise sooner. With knowing what to look for it is obvious that he was being courted, yet there are no records in his memories of ever noticing, perhaps we should ask him later?” Valeo reasoned, with a nod from Sam he continued, “what are we going to do now? Are you going to force your way into NEST? Or are we going to split again?”

“There is no reason for me to force my way into NEST, but if it comes to it I will,” Sam frowned, “I had hoped there would be an easier way to… this is particular…” He was starting to see signals from the Allspark, and there was a certain urgency to them. “Drop the barriers, I need this translated immediately!” Valeo nodded raising an optic ridge. He was surprised as they were separately drawn into the Matrix.

“How is this possible?” Valeo questioned, Sam looked at him then back at what he was seeing, “perhaps we are not doing what is best for us separating like this?”

“Actually the Allspark is the one responsible for this, it’s sending me guilt at the moment on top of the messages,” Sam explained looking around like he had his own HUD, “how do I get these damn things to project… Valeo, see if you can access my side and take a look. The Allspark is being a bit of a spaz and unclear…” His Mech side nodded, and tried accessing the data, it jumped at him as soon as he requested it. The Mech couldn’t believe what he was seeing, but then again the Allspark hadn’t been known to lie to them before.

“It says there are two shards of the Allspark unaccounted for, as you yourself  suspected already, and that one happens to be embedded in the cement in Mission city. It would like Major Lennox to retrieve it,” Valeo translated, “the other shard… it is unsure to its location. It wishes for it to fall into our hands for the work on Sentinel. It also says if you touch the shard that Lennox is to retrieve it will boost the power in it enough for its plans. That’s all it says, that part it keeps flashing is Lennox retrieving the shard.”

“The Allspark will never lie to you, maybe hold back some truths occasionally, but never lie. This is a surprise, I was not expecting to see both of you at once,” Optimus greeted them with a smile, “Ironhide was highly displeased to enter the Well of Sparks, I would imagine that this was his compromise with the Allspark. The Allspark is all nudging at me for the moment, has something happened Sam?” Sam looked at the Mech with a solid frown.

“Yes, Ultra Magnus is on his way and you failed to notice something Orion,” Valeo started, and if a Mech could pout surely that was what Valeo would have been doing, “something very important that could get us offlined to join you.” There was a confusing thought, Sam and Valeo as different people.

“What might that be Valeo, I have held back nothing from you or Sam,” Optimus looked rather confused by that comment. Sam shook his head, Valeo lacked the simple suability of humanity. That was allowed Sam to make such different comments than Valeo, even if Optimus should be able to understand the Mech side better.

“Forgive the poor phrasing, but Valeo got most of the message across. I’m going to get my aft handed to me because no one informed the Magnus of your… offlining. This wouldn’t be such a problem except…” Sam gave Optimus a face that told him he had indeed missed something, “he’s been trying to date you in human terms Optimus.” The former Autobot leader would have paled if he were human, and his optics visibly widened to showcase his visible disbelief.

“It’s not possible…” Optimus stumbled to his knees, “I would have noticed such a thing…” Valeo knelt down in front of him, Sam on the other side with a frown crossing his side of their split personalities.

“It is, and he is on his way to Earth currently,” Valeo relayed quietly, “we do not have time to worry about this, we only have time to formulate a plan to keep this from… what is the human expression… ‘blowing up in our faces.’” Sam wondered what was running through Optimus’ mind, but he didn’t know. He couldn’t possibly know how everything was going to turn out.

“Samuel Valeo Prime, as long you have your heart, I have no doubt that the Magnus will see that and do what needs to be done. So long as you hold your helm high and be honest with him, I have no doubt that he will see past your armor,” Optimus gave Sam that look, the one he gave the Autobots after a tough Decepticon fight. “Don’t let the fact that he is the Magnus intimidate you, the Autobots will defend you, and they will protect you from any threat. Even if that threat is Ultra Magnus. Especially Bumblebee, you also have a Hatchet not far behind you. Sideswipe is even willing to back you up without question, which means that you will have Sunstreaker behind you too. If that isn’t enough you even have Mirage on your side, if that does not mean anything to you by now you are not the Prime I thought you were.”

“Mirage is a fine Autobot,” Sam smiled recalling his earlier debriefing with the normally distant bot, “and I trust him with my life and spark. Just as much as I trust Bee, Ratchet, and you Optimus.” Valeo looked at him, and Sam smiled at his Mech reflection. “We will not give up now, we will press on, and we will not let any more allies fall. That goes for human and bots alike.”

“You had best remember that next time we cross paths with Ratchet,” Valeo looked back at his human reflection with all the regal posture that Optimus had, “It will be the same speech he gives up when we get there for having our arm torn off…” Sam laughed slightly and looked to Optimus, the fallen Autobot leader had regained his composure. Optimus nodded his head, and with their conversation finished Sam and Valeo returned to their bodies outside the Matrix.

The Com channels started up as soon as he returned, Bumblebee was driving behind them and had several messages for him. Sam collected his wits and totally dissolved the barrier between him and Valeo in order to use the Coms. He paged Bumblebee, and the scout sent a cheery chirp back.

~Sam, the Autobot team has done what it can in Chicago. NEST is pulling back,~ Bumblebee reported, ~Jolt, Mirage, and Wheeljack are en route to transports back to the NEST HQ in DC. Sideswipe reports that Lennox seems to be doing better, and that they have been called back to NEST HQ as of fifteen minutes ago. All Autobots accounted for. Ratchet is meeting us at a recently acquired abandoned military base that was offered up as an Autobot only base stateside.~ Sam nodded, then realized that Bumblebee couldn’t actually see him.

~Understood,~ Sam commed back, ~Optimus thinks that everything will go smoothly, at least so long as I be myself and all that around Ultra Magnus.~ The scout chirped something, and Sam realized with a soft smile that some things in life never change.

~Mirage also had another message, you should com him as well,~ Bumblebee  reported.

~I’ll be sure to do so. Thanks for looking out for me Bee,~ Sam commed back.

~No problem Sam, Bee out~ the scout shut down his com.


	7. The New Base- Serenity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ratchet and Sam go over somethings in regards to the Allspark, Jolt mixes the Protoform behind Ratchet's back. Preludes to chaos and severe headaches on Ratchet's end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that is a Firefly reference.

  
Mirage’s com had more information about Ultra Magnus’ imminent arrival, and some rather pointed suggestions about how to deal with it. The information was a favor, and then Mirage’s signal cut out as he went back on his usual duty of snooping on the Decepticons. Sam had spent the rest of the time resting comfortably against the warm Spark chamber of Valeo Prime as he was delivered to Doc Hatchet’s new lair.

“~Good to see you in at least slightly better condition than I left you in Valeo, Jolt has given me the scans of your current condition,~ Ratchet informed him, “~the damage while serious is not critical. I should be able to finish most of the repairs in the next few days. It looks like Jolt was mostly able to realign the port for your arm… It’s not as bad as it could have been.~”

“Mom and dad are dead Ratchet,” Sam answered solemnly, “don’t tell me that it’s not as bad as it could have been. Not only that but Ironhide, I can’t accept results like that.” The Medic flipped a switch in his shoulder port, Sam wasn’t entirely sure what that actually did.

“I’m not going to argue with you Prime, but I will say this, Ironhide was willing to give his spark to protect you and this planet,” Ratchet replied inserting a servo into the shoulder port to adjust the cabling that had shifted during Valeo’s transit from Chicago. “That  should tell you how much his opinion about this planet changed."

"Could you leave Valeo online for a moment? I have a com to make before you continue your repairs," Sam asks as Ratchet continues his repairs.

"These repairs don't require me to do anything more than turn off the ports while I reconnect your servo," Ratchet explains, but there's none of the normal irritation, "I'd suggest you refuel once you are done. If you however decide to move I will whack your glitch rattled head." Sam nods, and takes a seat out of the way of the CMO. He shifts his attention back to being the protoform, and calls Sideswipe.

~Sideswipe?~ he barely feels whatever Ratchet is working on.

~What's up Prime?~ the mech responds, ~we are on route back to HQ currently.~

~I need you to break away from your current course and take the Major to Mission City,~ Sam explains, ~com me when you arrive and I will explain further.~

~Mission City? Will do bossbot, but why Lennox?~ the silver mech's sounds surprised.

~It is the Allspark's wish, that is all,~ Sam looks over to Ratchet and wonders what he'll think of the Allspark's grand plan to bring back Ironhide.

"What is it Valeo?" the Medic mutters before some colorful cybertronian words describe his progress with the repairs.

"~So… I might be able to restore Ironhide and Jazz's protoforms the same way I restored Optimus Prime's,~" Sam explains, "~it’s the Allspark's idea, not mine.~" He feels more than sees the surprise from Ratchet, its in the form of his shoulder port being reactivated roughly.

"~Slag it Samuel, you cannot be serious?~" the Medic stops  fiddling with his arm, "Who would you choose for such a thing, let alone how could you choose to bring back 'Hide and Jazz?"  He pockets his wrench and stares at the young man in the body of  the  Optimus Prime. Sam can feel the weight of that stare.

 

RATCHET

'This is a very bad idea,' the medic sends through his processors multiple times. He's not comfortable with what the Allspark is doing, Mechs shouldn't just come back from the dead. Primus be damned, its not the natural way of things. Samuel's own situation aside along with his role in things.

"~Ratchet, its not really my idea, you know that right?~" the young Prime consoles him. Ratchet's not surprised, Samuel doesn't claim to be a god or anything , he wants to do what's the best for the bots.

"~I do Prime, but I think it unwise,~" Ratchet warns, "~even the best laid plans go awry.~" Samuel nods, but there's a frown settling in on his faceplates.

"~Ratchet, I'm not Optimus, I can tell when you are using that title because it’s the same reason humans call their superiors Sir when they disagree. I don't deserve the title Prime and I know it, but I'm not so stupid as to think the Allspark is infalliable,~" the young Prime comments. He's wrong about not deserving the title, Optimus would not have bestowed him with the Protoform if he wasn't. His youth is the major thing holding him back right now, but its also what gives him them all the greatest reason to hope.

"~As long as you realize that then I can stand behind you Samuel, but don't let all the Allspark's power go to your head,~" he warns. He's seen good mechs turn, it never ends well. For them or for the Autobots.

"~I promise Ratchet,~" the human turned Prime answers with a nod, "what the hell am I gonna do? Ultra Magnus is due in a matter of days, what chance have I got?"

"Plenty, give that arm some rest and stay out of trouble you glitchhead," Ratchet responds, "don't forget to replenish your energon on the way out!" Its about to become one hell of a messy party.

 

LENNOX

When Sideswipe changes directions Lennox instinctively goes for his gun, the roar of the engine makes him think of joyriding teenagers. He trusts the Autobot not to take him somewhere dangerous, but at the same time this is not Ironhide. This is one of two sets of prankster twins, the more dangerous set.

"Sideswipe?" the Major questions, the bot revs a little higher before dropping back down.

"Bossbot's orders, something we got to pick up at Mission City," Sideswipe responds, "I got no idea what he's thinking."

"It must have to do with the cube…" Lennox mumbles, what the hell was that kid thinking? Then again the kid's hunches were always dead on, and he wasn't quite the Prime yet, but 'Hide had faith in the kid.

"The Cube, you mean the Allspark? The one that he destroyed shoving into Megatron's spark? Slagit… That can only mean we're looking for a shard," the autobot's speedometer was climbing and he knew the bot was sending a disrupting wave through all the cops.

"A shard? Like the ones the decepticons stole from Diego Garcia? Shit, no fucking wonder," Lennox growls replacing his gun in its hoslter, "how do we find it?"

"Sensors, I should be able to pick it up when we get in the city," Sideswipe announces, "we'll be on radio silence until we get there. Assuming this is as big as we think it is."

"It is, knowing the kid," Lennox leans back in his seat, on a good day it’s a 30 hr drive. He wonders how long it will take the highly motivated autobot. Why send him though, why not go himself after he gets the repairs done on Prime? Or send Bumblebee?

"Ratchet sent a com, Prime's repairs are finished. Bumblebee is not on route with us, he picked up Epps and is heading back to our DC base," Sideswipe adds, "Ironhide's protofrom is being taken to the base where Ratchet's got a medbay set up. Prime is tense about the Magnus, nothing else to report." 

Ironhide's protoform is being moved? Oh hell, that's the kids plan? Who? The thought occurs to him that Sam might be able to recreate the incident in Egypt. Using probably him with Ironhide, then who would be Jazz?

 

SAM

He drives carefully out to one of the warehouses so he can rest the Peterbilt, he's commed Sideswipe with an update and the Allspark's coordinates for the shard. He's sent Epps with Bumblebee to do a little extra homework, there's supposedly one more shard in the DC base. Ratchet has already repaired Jazz, he just needs 'Hide up and running.

He has Valeo up and into the provided bot cot, and leaves him in recharge. No need to get yelled at even more by the CMO, he passes Jolt on his way out to inspect the base. He takes one good look at it and is reminded of a show he used to watch, if given the opportunity he'd call this place Serenity.

"You seem troubled Sam," Jolt is on patrol for the time being. His sensors aren't as highly tuned as the Prime's protoform.

" Things aren't going well, but what else is new. Can you look over that port?" Sam responds, "Ratchet did all the major repairs, but he didn't complete everything with the hopes I would take it easy."

"Sir, are you sure it’s a good idea to go against Ratchet's orders?" Jolt looks over to the bay where Ratchet is prepping to receive Ironhide.

"Get me full range of motion, I've got a bad feeling and I'm going to need everything Valeo can give me," Sam frowns. He doesn't have time for that type of caution, he's got to be ready to run. He knows Ratchet is going to have his hide as soon as he figures it out, but he's going to have to catch him first.

"Will do Prime," Jolt responds.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the characters that start showing up in the next chapter may be OoC, that is because I am fusing parts of the Bayverse with Transformers Animated (the one with Sari in it.) I'm pretty sure I'm making up shit as I go starting next chappie, so have fun with that.


	8. The New Base- Let it Sink in Ratch, he bailed to save his own skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the run, and Mearing doesn't much care for her answers. There's more than just running though, Ultra Magnus has landed and the shit that hit the fan wasn't the expected shitstorm. Oh dear Sam, what have you done now?

SERENITY BASE 

Ratchet is fuming when he hears Jolt's report four days after his fucking Prime takes off. He's sitting here with a nearly completely fixed Ironhide waiting on  Sideswipe to bring Lennox. He's already assumed that Bumblebee is in on this slagging mess, Epps is there waiting with him and Mikayla is still in Diego Garcia working on Jazz as she was contacted as well. Acree is overseeing those repairs. 

"Sit rep Autobot Ratchet, where is Samuel James Witwicky and Optimus Prime?" Mearing is glaring him down for everything she's worth, its got nothing on the anger surging through his processors at the young Prime. He found the datapad this morning, the one with his fear filled ramblings about what would happen to him when the Magnus arrives. 

"I couldn't tell you if I wanted to Director, the boy and Prime are not here I can tell you that much," Ratchet swears to Primus if the boy comes back with so much as a strained gear he's putting the protoform in stasis lock for a year. 

"Well what can you tell me then? I've got reports as far as California of autobot sightings, albeit the corvette wasn't transformed, but I do know he's out there," the director's comment sends another surge of energon through his systems, he's venting off as much heat as he can not to tax his own systems. 

"He's on an errand, he's headed back here. Also you should know this, we are expecting our Supreme Commander to touch down anytime this week," he announces through gritted faceplates, "Valeo is concerned about that person's arrival due to an unforseen complication. We also have to report in on Sentinel's betrayal not to mention the major blows that both we and the Decepticons have gone through." If she hasn't put two and two together yet its not his place to deal with it. 

"Hey Hatchet, we got it!" Major Lennox announces before turning to Director Mearing, "Director. Anyways how are the repairs?" The director looks completely pissed off, but more curious than anything else. 

"Good, now see if one of these traitors where tell you where that glitch head ran off to, maybe some progress can be made?" Ratchet points out, "he left a datapad up there for you as well. Hopefully its more insightful than the one he left me." 

"Wait… the kid's gone?" the Major has a puzzled look, clearly he didn't know either. 

"Do you want me to track him down Ratchet?" Sideswipe offers, but Ratchet shakes his helm. ~Something wrong Hatchet?~ 

~Yeah, Valeo's run off because he's afraid of what will happen when the Magnus shows up, little does he know they'll probably lock on his signal to land. Slag it Prime, where the hell did you go you fragin' glitchhead.~ Ratchet coms, "As soon as we have an answer to where Prime has gone you will know Director. Is that all?" She huffs and walks away, but Lennox remains. 

"How bad is it?" the Major asks realizing they genuinely have no idea where Sam went. 

"Prime is AWOL, and Magnus will lock on his signal to come in. IF Sam manages to disguise that signal he'll look for Jazz, then Ironhide, and finally myself," Ratchet explains, "if we're lucky we can convince them to land here and lock on Sideswipe's signal or perhaps even Bumblebee's." Bumblebee drives by and Lennox can see the way he droops on his shocks. 

~I got a Com from Red Alert earlier, we've got a week~ Bumblebee informs him, ~Why did Sam leave? Ultra wouldn't hurt him surely…~ Ratchet shrugs, he's not sure. He does know that Sam doesn't have enough Energon to be gone that long and continue running. 

  

SAM 

It's been five days since he took off from the new base, the repairs to Valeo have held and he had a temporary paint job done to the Peterbilt to help it blend in better. Since then he's been running freight using the Alt mode in order to make enough money to feed himself. Currently he's on a weekly contract to prove himself, he managed to make a friend of a driver out of Colorado. They been running trips together for the last two days. 

Valeo looks pretty spiffy in the black and gold wrap, it wasn't hard to find work when his 'truck' looks like something out of Smokey and the Bandit. The loads aren't hard when you have a Cybertronian navigation system. He's been checking in with Jolt every once in a while. The Mech is upset that he didn't tell Ratchet, but he was the only one that would keep his location a secret this long without tattling. 

Bumblebee and Sideswipe were both at Ratchet's mercy, Wheeljack had been kind enough to drop off Energon for him at a storage locker, but even that was on a limited basis. Sam had to sneak back long enough to get Lennox setup as Ironhide, but he was going to have to get back into the Serenity Base to do that. Slag…. slag it all. 

"Hey Pumba, you ready to roll out?" he asked over the CB. 

"Yep, my co-driver's in the back LadiesMan217, let's go," the other driver responds. 

"What book on tape do you have this time?" he asks almost chuckling. 

"Currently in the middle of the Host," the other trucker was an older man in his fifties, he was actually a really nice guy. He explained that his handle Pumba was because he didn't Tinkerbell was a great handle as his other favorite disney character. 

"You'll have to tell me if its any good," he seriously wondered if he'd ever be able to get back to that level of normalcy he doubted it. He was currently looking forward to his break to check in with Jolt the bot had left a gif that meant he had a message this morning. 

  

LATER 

~What's up Jolt?~ Sam asked as they pulled over for a bathroom break. Jolt relayed the impending arrival of Magnus and his crew in a more realistic time frame.  

~Lennox is worried about you Prime,~ Jolt also relayed, ~he knows you just lost your folks, but still… the rest of us are worried too.~ 

~I'll be okay once this whole thing with the Magnus is cleared up. I do miss them terribly~ Sam answers, he sees Pumba and Snowbeard on their way out and has to cut it short, ~I'll stop by to see Lennox and Hide's protoform if you can get me in and out without having to deal with Ratchet.~ Jolt made no promises, he wasn't in charge of the med bay. 

  

LENNOX 

It's been three weeks, Ultra Magnus has landed, and no one seems to be able to locate Sam or Valeo. Then again the bots that knew Sam really well hadn't bothered to hunt him down. Someone was keeping an eye on him and making sure he got regular deliveries of Energon for Valeo. Ratchet was still pissed, but he was okay with the situation given the boy's fears about the Magnus' reaction. Which given the Magnus' reaction when he did arrive… Lennox was surprised Ratchet had managed to get that sorted out. 

"What do you mean Optimus Prime, his second in Command Jazz, and Ironhide were all offlined?!?" Hot Rod asks increduliously. The Magnus is standing in the corner silently, comming the other silent bot Jolt introduced as Prowl. Sideswipe was off causing trouble Sunstreaker, which Lennox was willing to bet the director was going to have her hands full with that one. Skids and Mudflap had been making the drops for Wheeljack, and he had been bringing datapads back.  

"They were killed in action, Optimus fell defending the boy who carries the knowledge of your Allspark, Jazz died keeping the cube safe from Megatron, and 'Hide was trying to stop Sentinel Prime who infected him with a severe case of Cosmic dust," Lennox answered looking from Hot Rod to Ultra Magnus. The Magnus was tall enough that he almost had to hunch over to fit in the former airplane hangar to fit properly. 

"Where is this boy now?" the Magnus asks him. 

"We are unsure, he's kept in contact discretely. He's afraid the Decepticons will come looking for him," Lennox offered by way of explanation, "he's supposed to meet up with me soon." 

"Doubtful with the way he's avoiding me," Ratchet mutters. 

"Well the Decepticons at least only threaten to harm him, you have actually tried to throw a wrench at him," Lennox points out, "not to mention he's scared shitless of you Commander."  It doesn't surprise him that its that statement that actually gets him the  Mech's full attention. 

"What do you mean by that?" Ultra Magnus leans down and is looking him optic to eyeball. 

"You'll find out soon enough," Lennox salutes and walks away leaving him looking dumbfounded. He decides to text Sam who is on his way in an uber only after careful coaxing on his and Bumblebee's part. Or rather he's in Bumblebee after a few different uber rides away from Valeo to keep the bot's location secret. 

 _You are sure Ratchet's distracted?_ came the careful response. Lennox chuckles, he's certainly got something set up. He's bribed both sets of twins to get Ratchet off site for at least 24 hours, then again its not hard to convince either set to pull pranks on the CMO and the Magnus.  

 _Give me two hours Sam, I'll have all of them off base except Bumblebee and Jolt._ Lennox texts back. _Tell Bumblebee to start operation MILLDEW._  

He sees Ratchet peel out, and sees the explosion on the far side of the base as Bumblebee pulls up and drops Sam off towards the side of the building. The Magnus pauses before  following after Ratchet. Jolt somehow gets Prowl out of there as Sam meets up with him at the doorway.  

"Where is Hide's protoform?" Sam asks, he looks stressed just being there. Lennox leads him to the back and Sam pulls the Matrix out of his coat. He wonders if  he's more concerned about going in an uber with the Matrix or being that close to the Magnus now that he's arrived. 

"This way," Lennox motions leading him back, "thanks for coming Sam." The boy smiles wearily, the running doesn't appear to be doing him much good. 

"It's good to see a familiar face Will. It's been a weird few weeks, I'm not sure how good this is for Valeo being stuck in alt mode 24/7," Sam responds approaching the  Protoform. "Activating Valeo now, I should be able to interpret more of what's going on." Lennox can see the way his stance visibly changes, and its odd to see him scamper up the Mech, he gets the spark plates open and taps the Matrix across the gap before climbing back down. 

"That's it?" Lennox asks. Sam shakes his head and holds out his hand. 

"I need to charge the shard for you," he explains as Lennox pulls the shard out of the bottle that rests with his dogtags. Sam pokes the shard and jumps back quickly. Not as though he was burned, but its still an odd movement, "I don't want to overcharge it. Now you'll need to climb up to the spark chamber and thrust the shard in. It should make the shard vanish in the process, so don't be worried about that." Lennox nods placing it back in the glass bottle as he climbs up, he counts to three and thrusts the shard in. There's a bright light, and then everything hurts. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffies!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and Sam finally meet. Ratchet doesn't think he needs to punish them quite so hard after watching Sam step up and do what he needs to without prompting. It goes without saying that Sam doesn't like driving the Peterbilt backwards...

BUMBLEBEE 

He's glad Sam's on base, even if its only for a few hours to help Lennox with a project. What he's not so glad about is the panicked call from Sam an hour later. He makes his way to Ratchet's lair and sees Sam frozen in place and Lennox half stuck in the wide open spark chamber of Ironhide's protoform. The spark is back and plusing through Lennox, the Major is screaming and slowly starting to burn. Bumblebee starts to go  to pull him out when Sam raises a hand to stop him. 

"We need Ratchet, and we need him now," Sam points out, "the Allspark says that Lennox is going to be absorbed straight into Ironhide's frame unlike how I was left separate. It decided it would be far easier this way, had I known this was to be its intention I never would have let him do it." Bumblebee doesn't need to say anything, he had commed for Ratchet to head back the second he heard the panic in Sam's com. 

"~It's not your fault Sam,~" he responds watching as Lennox slowly burns up in the brightness that is his new spark. 

"No, but I should have warned Will," he responds looking down at the Matrix, "Can you watch him until Ratchet arrives? There is a call I need to make." Bumblebee nods, he has a feeling he knows who will be on the other end of this call. 

 

* * *

RATCHET 

Ratchet is surprised to feel a new spark as he rushes back to the base Serenity. He's also caught off guard by the subtle presence of Sam, he'd head right for the boy except that Bumblebee has already alerted him to problem. Sam also has sent a message that he'll be back in the medbay after he's done calling the Major's wife. Ratchet is dumbstruck as the last of Major Lennox vanishes into the spark chamber of Ironhide's protoform. He's immediately scanning as soon as the plates close and the man turned Mech starts to come online.  

The protoform responds well to his commands, and Ratchet sees nothing wrong besides the fact that his optics are almost green now. The Allspark finished what little repairs he hadn't been able to and the human hasn't gone into shock yet. 

"Ratchet?" its not so much a question, its more of a should I be worried comment. 

"Sam's calling your wife now, its his job as your commanding officer to take care of it," Ratchet explains as Sam steps back inside. He's still a little shaken looking himself, and Ratchet can read from his stance that he's more than a little upset that he went through with it. 

"Sarah is rather upset with both of us, but glad to know you aren't actually gone. She'll be calling you later if you are up for it, but you will not be allowed to leave the base until you have a firm grasp on how to work the Protoform," Sam explains, "I will not allow you to accidentally hurt your wife, do not worry."  

"Speaking of worry, when did you sneak in Samuel, and where is my patient?" Ratchet steps up to the newly made bot and flips off his pain sensors for the time being as he starts looking through things. 

"Valeo is currently in DC at a car park, he's on his way here following the Allspark's brilliant idea here," the sarcasm in his tone was heavy, "Lennox?" 

"That hurt a lot more than I thought it would," he comments, his optics are looking down  at Sam, "yeah?" 

"You'll need a new designation, one that fits in with the Autobots. The Matrix wanted to leave you a suggestion?" Sam smirks, "it suggested IronRanger or Steelhide. My own suggestion is Ironsight, then again you are welcome to remain as Ironhide if that is to your liking." 

"I don't know yet,” Lennox responds, “hey Ratch?” The Medic is looking him over with a critical eye, before nodding, “take it easy on the kid.” His optics dim into a recharge state, and Ratchet turns to face Sam. The little Prime is thinking that much is obvious, but what about eludes the Medic. That’s before Ultra Magnus walks into the hanger following the commotion caused by the young Prime and Lennox. 

 

* * *

ULTRA MAGNUS 

This is the first time he’s met the human before him, but he can feel the bright spark he carries easily. This is the boy they call Samuel, he’s sure of it, he reminds him of Optimus. Especially the trouble he seems to be knee deep in without realizing it. He caught a brief part of the phone call to one Sarah Lennox and realized why he was terrified of meeting him. The boy had assumed Optimus’ rank as Prime, the question to him was how?  

“I believe we have yet to meet young one, I am Ultra Magnus,” the boy looks up at him, the concern for his fellow autobots is clear as day. Ratchet is watching them both like a hawk from where he’s looking over Ironhide’s Protoform. 

“Sam Witwicky,” the boy offers with a nod of his head, “I’d shake your servo but it’s a bit out of my reach.” A brief view of humor and a human custom of greeting, what was the story of how he got a spark? He’d be very interested to know how that happened, and how it was reading his designation as Prime. 

“Sam, I expect a full debrief of the Magnus before we have our chat,” the medic says pointedly, “have Valeo sent my way for a check up as well.” Valeo? Who in the name of Primes was Valeo? 

“No stasis locks?” why did this seem like a negotiation of sorts? 

 “We’ll see,” Ratchet’s response sent a shiver down his spine. Medics were not the sort you crossed lightly, and it seemed that whoever Valeo was had seriously crossed this Medic. The boy nods walking out towards the fresh air, there’s a sense of familiarity to the semi truck rolling up to them.  

“I owe you an explanation of sorts Mr. Magnus,” the boy starts, and he gets the impression he may or may not like what he’s about to hear given the hesitation. 

“You have my attention Sam, but just Ultra is fine,” he responds offering a servo for the boy to stand on so he doesn’t have to look so far down. The boy takes the offered servo and the two of them walk some distance away from Hatchet’s medbay, he doesn’t see the semi truck bot transform to be looked over by Ratchet either. 

“Where to start…” the boy with the spark starts to explain. The more he hears the more he realizes that things have gone horribly for the Earth based Autobots. Optimus had fallen to keep the Allspark and Matrix of Leadership from Megatron, and that had turned into a huge clusterfuck. The boy explains that he was seeing visions thanks to the Allspark and that he managed to retrieve the Matrix of Leadership. Instead of bringing Optimus back from the depths of the well he had split himself in half, he was Valeo. This boy was their new Prime, and he had done his best to keep the rest of the Autobots alive. 

“I do not see what you had to fear from my presence, clearly the Primes of old and Primus himself have chosen you to be the new Prime,” Ultra responds with a heavy spark,  “I will miss Optimus, but you do not appear to have done the Autobots wrong.” 

“That’s a relief, I thought for sure you would have me offlined, there is more but I’m afraid I need a short break after today’s events. We can continue this after that?” Sam asks quietly. Ultra is taken aback by the young Prime’s unsure nature, it reminds him of Optimus in so many ways. He nods his helm slightly, and there’s a brief noise behind that sounds like approaching pads. It doesn’t really click until in his memory bank as when Optimus’ old protoform plucks a knowing Sam out of his hand. He looks optic to optic with Valeo Prime, his hud shows the new spark signature, and it matches the boy that just left his servo. It leaves a warm feeling in his spark chamber as the two of them walked away. 

 

* * *

VALEO  

It interesting to watch the Magnus talking with his human self as Ratchet goes through each of his systems. Ratchet doesn’t say a word, he just scans. He shows Ratchet the port where Jolt reattached his arm weeks ago. He’s managed to stay relatively calm. 

“He seems to be taking everything well,” Ratchet comments, “~then again you never really understood why you were Prime did you?~” 

“~What do you mean by that?~” Valeo asks rotating his arm slowly to check the range of motion. 

“~Nothing Prime, but I’m sure the Magnus will teach you what it is to be Prime,~” Ratchet shoos him away. He walks out towards where the Magnus is speaking with his human half and waits until they are finished to pluck himself out of the other’s servo. 

He can feel the other’s optics linger as he goes to drop himself off at the bunk they have for him. His human half safely tucked in he’s off to see Bumblebee who’s anxiously bouncing on his shocks, soon enough he’s in his alt mode catching up. 

 

* * *

RATCHET 

The Magnus approaches him slowly, and he can see the confusion lingering there. He gestures for the Magnus to approach while he finishes looking over Lennox, the Allspark appears to have finished his work for him. The man turned mech seems to be in much better condition than Valeo was when he first checked him, his coding was also clear of any glaring areas of corruption unlike how the Prime’s was after Egypt. 

“Ask or get out, I don’t have time for your lurking when there is work to be done,” Ratchet comments turning to his work bench, “Magnus?” He turns to meet the Magnus optic to optic, its not the look he’s expecting either.  

“For the spark of me I cannot begin to comprehend how any of you made it through this with the odds that have presented to me. Made it through you have,” the Magnus answers, “I have no doubts about the boy as the new Prime, he certainly lives up to his responsibilities. A peculiarity he is.” 

“Sam is,” Ratchet nods knowing what the Magnus means, “he needs training for his role as Prime. He doesn’t understand how his role works, he does pieces of it unintentionally.” 

“I’ll see to it he learns what he needs to,” the Magnus shifts on his Peds, “Ratchet, what type of bot is Valeo Prime?” Ratchet chuckles, it would appear Sam is attracting attention again. 

“You’ll have to watch and see Magnus,” he responds, “now if you’ll excuse me, I have bots to chastise.” 

 

* * *

SIDESWIPE 

~Hey ‘Sides, Sam’s back!~ the scout’s com comes through as he and Sunstreaker are shooting the shit. He hits the breaks and directs his twin back towards the base Sam dubbed Serenity. He hasn’t told Sunstreaker about Sam, the Autobots that were here before the Magnus’ arrival has under careful consideration not told any of the latest arrivals about their new Prime. He’s sure Sam will like Sunny, despite all the trouble Sunny and he cause. 

It takes almost no time for them to find a certain Peterbilt casually looping the base with Bumblebee. Without really intending to Sides finds himself in a dirt rally with his twin, the Camaro alt, and the semi. Its all good fun that turns into a hilarious race that has the humans watching and cheering on the different bots. Ratchet watches from the Medbay with his own amused look as Jolt marks checkpoints. 

~Last lap! Loser does midday patrols for the next week backwards!~ Sunny coms. It turns out that Sam despises driving backwards and the Peterbilt pulls ahead and stays ahead. Bumblebee falls back and does doughnuts and while he and Sunny do some sick precision driving stunts that puts the human professionals to shame. The Peterbilt shifts and heads towards the energon station that Ratchet has setup. 

“Hey Bossbot!” Sideswipe motions for Sunstreaker to follow him. Sunny looks at Valeo and back to Sideswipe, “this is Sunny.” 

“Nice to finally meet the other troublemaker, I assume Sideswipe has filled you on our deal?” Valeo asks, Sides shakes his head, “I’m surprised. I promised Sides two get out of jail free for each of you if he took care of an errand for me. Those are good for anything except getting you away from Ratchet, I’m not that brave.” Sunny lets out a chuckle and nods. 

“No sane bot would cross Doc Hatchet,” Sunstreaker responds, “nice to meet you. So… are you going to keep wearing Optimus’ colors or are you going to get your own?” Valeo raises an optic ridge. 

“I assumed I was stuck with Optimus’ colors, and as a Peterbilt alt,” he confesses, Sunny shakes his helm. 

“All you gotta do is scan something that will fit your protoform under it. Given that Optimus is larger than most of us that does limit you to larger vehicles, but not to only a Semi truck,” Sunny explains, “Ratchet could probably explain that better than we can Boss.”  

“For the time being I will leave it be, I’m sure everyone would be more unsettled to see it change right now,” Valeo announces, he sees Ratchet heading for him and sighs, “excuse me.” He’ll take one for the team and face Ratchet alone. 


End file.
